


alas poor yorrick, we hardly knew thee

by alineppenhallow



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Bamf!Magnus, Blood and Gore, Drabble, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Shakespeare Quotations, Tumblr Prompt, bad guys get their comeuppance, mentions of previous character death, relax it isn't one of our boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 06:06:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11549052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alineppenhallow/pseuds/alineppenhallow
Summary: “You’re supposed to take the flesh off the skull before you monologue at it.”





	alas poor yorrick, we hardly knew thee

**Author's Note:**

> [“You’re supposed to take the flesh off the skull before you monologue at it.”](http://oopsprompts.tumblr.com/post/156817498917/youre-supposed-to-take-the-flesh-off-the-skull)

“Alas, poor Yorrick, we hardly knew thee,” Magnus recites theatrically with a cold smile.  

“Magnus,” Alec says slowly, his tone a little high pitched, and Magnus peeks over his shoulder at his approaching boyfriend. Alec’s bow is pointed down but an arrow still pulls the string taut just in case. His gaze is focused on Magnus’ hand and his face is pinched in a mixture of confusion and concern. Magnus can’t really blame him, it’s not an ordinary situation to stumble upon especially in a war zone and frankly if their positions where reversed, Magnus would be approaching cautiously too. 

“Yes sweetheart,” Magnus greets cheerily and Alec pauses his approach, his mouth opens and closes more than a few times like he’s struggling to figure out how to start the conversation. 

“Uh, two points,” Alec settles on eventually. Magnus waves his free hand in an encouraging  _go on_  motion.

“One - I don’t think that’s the correct quote,” Alec says. 

“Artistic licence,” Magnus shrugs.

“Ok…” Alec says quietly, the word drawn out like he can’t quite fault the logic but still the whole situation is a little _out there_. 

“And two?” Magnus encourages when Alec remains quiet for more than a minute. 

“Pretty sure you’re supposed to take the flesh off the skull before you monologue at it,” Alec finishes and Magnus concedes the point. 

Honestly he hadn’t intended to _remove_ Valentine’s head. Least of all turn it into a prop but he’s feeling a little dramatic and maybe a touch cold so _whoops_. 

Decades of fear and the constant state of danger pricking under his skin, hovering like a spectre out of the corner of his eye… and now it was over. It’s left him a little loopy with relief, like a head rush similar to the first time he got drunk. More than a little reckless and stupid, tomorrow barely matters but today - today is **important**. It’s that same fuck the consequences, instant gratification elation where hindsight will have him groaning with his forehead against a cold glass of water.  

He’d meant to hold Valentine as per the request of the Clave so that they could exact _their_ brand of justice and reclaim some of the respect of their people they’d lost thanks to the erosion of Valentine’s endless list of victories - small and big. He’d meant to…but then Valentine had started talking. And talking. And _talking_.

Magnus knows Valentine was just trying to rile Magnus, to get a response, a rise out of him. Hoping Magnus would screw up and Valentine could escape or kill him or both. 

But what Valentine, like so many before him, had failed to take into account either because of a hole in his information network or just plain arrogance was just how powerful Magnus was and **is**. An educational error quickly rectified when Magnus had lost his temper after Valentine had described the thirty-eighth warlock’s death at his hands…the one he’d planned in London, the one that cost Magnus his closest friend. 

Valentine had all of a second to realise his mistake. 

Magnus couldn’t find it in himself to care about the fool’s fearful expression, only the momentary sickening joy of his demise before the odd calm settled in it’s place. 

“Magnus?” 

Magnus jerks and Alec raises the hand he was trying to gently settle on his shoulder but he doesn’t step back. Magnus hadn’t even realised Alec had closed the few feet between them, too focused on the melting face of the circle’s leader and - _huh_ Magnus hadn’t intended to follow through on the skull option. He must still be angry but he can’t really tell beyond the calm overlay like a dark sky, it holds back the storm and the rain you know is coming any second now.

“Whoops,” Magnus mutters without remorse. Alec grimaces at the macabre sight but turns his focus back to Magnus quickly.  

“It’s over,” Alec says softly slipping a little further into Magnus’ personal space, a warm steady presence against him. 

“I believe so,” Magnus says half-heartedly, letting the now pristine skull tumble from his fingers and clatter against the concrete floor. It cracks and Magnus wants to crush it under foot but he’s so very tired now, he can scream and rage at the losses later, for now he’s just drained. 

“No, no… Magnus. It’s over,” Alec assures him and Magnus’ eyes shut as he lets the word wash over him. It’s like a set of overly taught strings have been cut and Magnus exhales long and slow.

“Yes…it is,” Magnus agrees quietly and Alec catches him as he slumps against him. Alec wraps an arm around his waist and kisses his forehead softly and Magnus leans into the comfort. Later there’ll debriefs and the Clave will look disappointed in his  _inability to control himself_ and they’ll need to mop up the last remaining fanatics but just for a moment Magnus can enjoy the end of a long war. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://alineppenhallow.tumblr.com) & [Twitter](https://twitter.com/alineppenhallow)  
> 


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